The need for protector to protect the outer surfaces of briefcases and luggage has long been recognized. By their very nature, briefcases and other such cases are subject to damage from physical abrasions or scratches, or from rain or snow. Such damage can not only produce unsightly marks, but can in fact ruin the case. While briefcases are very expensive, briefcase protectors can easily be replaced at a relatively small expense if damaged. Therefore, the prior art shows several attempts to create luggage protectors for such purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,595 (Meyers) issued Aug. 4, 1953 discloses a supplementary protector to protect luggage. This patent relates to a luggage protector which is slipped over the top of luggage and secured beneath the luggage by elastic strips. The patent does not address means for covering the handle of the luggage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,295 (Amick) issued Nov. 2, 1954 relates to a luggage cover. Amick teaches a suitcase cover which is folded around a suitcase through the use of flaps and snap fasteners. The Amick luggage cover does not protect the suitcase handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,711,234 (Rubens) issued Jun. 1, 1955 relates to an adjustable luggage cover. This patent discloses a cover that adjusts through the use of elastic strands to fit over various sizes of luggage. The cover described by the Rubens patent does not protect the handle of the luggage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,046 (Smallberg) issued Jan. 24, 1956 discloses luggage covers for rigid walled luggage. This patent teaches the use of elastic portions which provide a snug fit over such luggage and allow for slight variations in the size of the luggage.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,467 (Jaffe) issued Nov. 22, 1955 relates to a luggage cover. The luggage cover disclosed in the Jaffe patent utilizes fastening means surrounding the outside of the cover to close the protected luggage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,360 (Cook) issued Aug. 26, 1975 discloses a luggage protector. This patent teaches a unitary protector having a slit opening for the handle and having a single closure means extending all the way around the body of the luggage protector.
In each of these references, the protector is designed in such a way as to leave the handle of the briefcase exposed. Furthermore, the opening through which the handle protrudes is typically uncovered, allowing water or other materials to leak into the protector. A need therefore exists for a protector that provides protection not only for the main storage portion of the briefcase, but also for the handle, while allowing the handle to be grasped in a normal manner. Such a protector should be designed so as to adapt quickly and easily to fit over a variety of sizes and shapes of briefcases.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a briefcase protector which protects not only the baggage portion of the briefcase, but also the handle portion.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a briefcase protector that protects the handle of a briefcase in such a way as to allow the briefcase to be grasped and carried in a normal manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a briefcase protector that can be quickly and easily fastened or removed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a briefcase protector which may be used in conjunction with briefcases of various sizes and shapes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a briefcase protector which is small and easily transportable so that when it is not in use, it can be carried inside the briefcase. These and other objects of the present invention will be made clear through the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.